Curriculum

/

Descriptions

MSIT 432: Networks: Applications, Principles & Protocols

Quarter Offered

Spring
:
Saturday, 9:30am-12:30pm
;
Randall Berry, Ph.D

Description

The goal of this course is to understand the basic principles of communication networks including layered architectures, medium access control, switching, addressing, routing, congestion control, and quality of service. These concepts are illustrated by discussing protocols used in the Internet including Ethernet, IPv4, IPv6, UDP, TCP, and DNS.

COURSE GOALS: To provide students with knowledge of the basic principles of networking and an understanding of how real networks operate.

DETAILED COURSE TOPICS:

Introduction:

Network requirements, Performance measures.

Network Architecture: Layering, IP architecture.

Some History.

Link layer protocols:

Medium Access Control

Ethernet

Layer 2 switching

PPP

Packet switching:

Virtual circuits and datagrams

High speed router designs

Internetworking:

IPv4

Fragmentation

Addressing/subnetting

ARP/DHCP

NAT

IPv6

Network layer OAM protocols:

ICMP

IGMP

ICMPv6

Routing

Key concepts – shortest paths, dynamic routing.

Interior routing protocols: (RIP, OSPF)

Exterior routing (BGP)

Multicast routing

QoS routing

Transport layer protocols

Basic concepts

UDP

TCP

Congestion control

Name services

DNS

Quality of Service Architectures

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS AND EXAMS: There will be quasi-weekly homework assignments. Students can (and are encouraged to) work on these assignments in their study groups, but each student is expected to understand each problem. One homework assignment per study group is to be submitted on the indicated due date. Solutions will be available after the homework is submitted. Each study group will also be required to make a short presentation on an advanced networking topic that is related to the course material. Presentations will be spread throughout the quarter based on the topic. There will be two (open book) exams: a midterm and a final. These will be held in class during the 6th and 10th weeks of the quarter, respectively.

GRADES:

Class participation: 5%

Group presentation: 10%

Homework: 15%

Midterm: 35%

Final: 35%

COURSE OBJECTIVES: As a result of this course, students will be able to understand the history and design of major communication protocols, be able to converse with other IT professionals about networking and use this knowledge to make more informed decisions regarding network deployment and operation.